365 Days Wild

You will need:

A small empty yoghurt pot – get ready to upcycle!

Kitchen roll

A little soil

Cress seeds

A watering can

Somewhere warm and sunny, like a kitchen windowsill

1. Clean out your yoghurt pot (ideally, eat the yoghurt then rinse the pot). Line the bottom with a thick layer of kitchen roll, making sure it’s nice and damp. 2. Add a layer of soil so that it finishes a centimetre or so from the top of the pot. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of cress seeds and push them gently into the soil. Water it gently and pop it in the full sunshine. You’ll need to keep it warm and moist. 3. After a few days, you’ll notice the cress appearing and you should be able to harvest it soon after – mix with salads or use as flavouring for egg sandwiches!

18. Take your time with celandine

Like little yellow stars shooting out of the ground rather than through the sky, the lesser celandine is a member of the buttercup family. It’s one of the first wildflowers you’ll see in the springtime, blossoming in woodlands, along hedgerows and near river banks. It grows very close to the ground, with shiny leaves that are shaped like the ace in a deck of cards. The flowers themselves are glossy and yellow, with between eight and twelve individual petals splaying out.

The lesser celandine can grow in gardens as well as in the wild, but is largely regarded as a weed. Yet it is perfect for those pollinators that have woken up early in the year. Before you remove it, think of all the bees and other insects that will benefit from that early source of nectar. Find some blooming near you by searching among little woodlands, along hedgerows or near rivers. It loves the damp. Snap a photo and send it to someone who might need a little bit of sunshine in their day – these flowers will brighten up even the dreariest moments as spring starts to emerge.

19. Share dinner with ducks

Feeding the ducks has been a favourite pastime for generations. I used to do it with my parents and grandparents and it was always bread. My theory is that my nana hated waste, so any mouldy bread would go straight to the ducks instead of the bin. Now we know that bread is bad for ducks, geese and swans (and for our rivers, too!), but that doesn’t mean we should stop feeding the ducks altogether. It’s a therapeutic way to spend a few minutes, either alone or with others.

Find a family of ducks nearby that maybe don’t get as much attention from the public; walking a little way from other people might tempt the shyer birds out of the undergrowth. Feed them defrosted peas, corn or oats instead of bread, and don’t give them too much. You don’t want them to become dependent on human handouts. Rice, vegetable peelings, birdseed or mealworms are also good for them, and you can buy special duck food from most bird food suppliers, too. Scatter food in shallow water and on the grass, and enjoy the happy quacking of the ducks, geese and swans!

Don’t try and feed birds by hand. Ducks tend to be gentle, but swans and geese can give you a nasty nip. Bigger birds can be intimidating to little kids (although they won’t try and hurt you!). Avoid disturbing birds on nests – they need to raise their young in peace.

20. Read a wild book

What could be more relaxing than reading a book about nature while you’re actually in nature? The genre of nature writing is generally credited to Gilbert White, in his Natural History of Selborne, published 230 years ago and detailing the nature all around his home village in Hampshire. Now you can find stories about wildlife and wild places for all ages and tastes. Nature writing can be descriptive, poetic, angry, sad, funny, exciting, thrilling, and it’s fabulous that so many writers take their inspiration from the wild. The only way to find your favourite nature book is to start reading a few. Ask friends if they have any you can borrow, or look some authors up online to get a taste of their writing. Second-hand bookshops always have a few gems. Maybe you’ll like something very narrative, or maybe you’ll prefer something factually accurate, like a field guide. A lot of fiction books have nature running throughout them, too. The most exciting bit about this Random Act of Wildness is taking your book somewhere wild, so that you can immerse yourself in the words and in your surroundings.

21. Grow your own sunflowers

Sunflowers are big and daisy-like, and if you’re not a confident grower they are a great place to start. Once fully-blossomed, the flower heads are popular with birds, like finches, as the seeds make a tasty snack for them. Tall, beautiful and striking, sunflowers can make a popular addition to your garden. April is the best time to plant, as much of the frost will have passed by then. You’ll need well-drained soil that’s free of weeds, and plenty of space for the flowers to grow upwards and outwards. Full sunlight is needed, as those big flowers will flourish in the sunshine, and a bit of protection from the wind and rain, too.

Rake the soil first, then plant each seed just over a centimetre into the ground and 10cm apart from its neighbours. If they all grow, you may have to spread them out even more. Water the seeds gently and keep them moist. As the seedlings come through, keep an eye out for slugs and snails and remove any that are getting too close. The sunflower should grow quickly and straight up. You’ll need a cane and some string to support it as it tops dizzying heights (or it may topple over). Once the flower blooms, watch as it follows the sun across the sky, turning its head to catch all those rays!

22. Discover the urban jungle

Who knew that a trip to the city could be a wild experience? Whether you’re a born-and-bred city-dweller or a country bumpkin, the urban jungle is a totally underappreciated habitat, full of wonderful wildlife. You just have to know where to look. The train tracks of underground stations are great places to see house mice scurrying around. Urban parks with deep lakes are perfect for ducks, geese and swans. Tall buildings have been converted into cliff faces by gulls and birds of prey, like peregrines; they use the roofs and ledges to survey the surrounding area, making the perfect launch pad for catching prey, or a safe place for raising chicks. When you’re in the city, take a moment to enjoy the natural delights that the concrete jungle can offer by looking up as you walk, altering your route to go through a park or community garden, or pausing a moment by a canal or river to see what might be paddling along: coot or moorhen, or even otters, which are now found in many UK cities. Creatures we would normally associate with the countryside, like deer, foxes and owls, are all making the most of their new city environments, but night time can be the best time for a wild encounter.

23. Think before you buy

You don’t have to have a baby to be addicted to baby wipes or face wipes. They’re handy, easy to use and cheap enough to be convenient. They also don’t go away! They’re not flushable or recyclable, and a nightmare if they clog up your drains. I’ve recently invested in some re-usable wipes, however, and I’m completely converted. They’re squares of soft flannel that come in their own sealed tub, which you fill with a little water and add lovely essential oils to. When you’ve finished with them, you wash them and dry them – simple. Because they’re natural, they’re much better for your delicate skin, too.

24. Scatter seedbombs

Seedbombs are like guerrilla gardening – a great way to introduce wild plants into an area that otherwise has no life in it. Simply mix peat-free compost (or garden soil) with some native wildflower seeds. Make sure you use plenty of seeds and double-check they’re native to the area – you don’t want to accidentally spread something that could be damaging! You can add a small amount of clay powder if you like, to help everything stick together. Add water until you have a firm, sticky mixture that you can roll with your hands into balls. Let them dry a little and then throw them into bare bits of ground in your garden.

25. Download a wild app

While too much screen time isn’t healthy, we can use our devices for good (instead of for addictive games and internet shopping!) and connect with the natural world around us. There are some wonderful nature apps available to help you identify birds, butterflies, bees, mammals and flowers (sometimes just by uploading a picture or a sound clip of birdsong); they can help you find your nearest nature reserve or wild event; or you can use citizen science apps to record your wild sightings. A lot of apps are free or very cheap, so search for those you think will give you the best experience of wildlife around you.

26. Learn a wild word

Narcissus is another word for daffodil, with its drooping yellow head that delights us as it bursts into bloom in early spring. It comes in lots of different sizes and colours, usually yellow or white, with some being very tiny and highly scented, and others bigger and bolder. Most daffodils we see are escaped or hybridised varieties, but you can still enjoy wild daffodils in some woodlands or damp meadows in north or southwest England or Wales. Narcissus was a character in Greek mythology. He was so vain that he yearned after his own reflection, and as punishment was turned into a flower.

27. Dance with grebes

As winter turns to spring and we begin to feel the first warmth of the sun on our faces, one of the most beautiful courtship dances begins on our lakes, reservoirs and wetlands. Great crested grebes are beautiful birds – so beautiful in fact that they were hunted close to extinction for their exotic plumes. Luckily this ended in the 20th century, and great crested grebes are now widespread around the UK once more.

If you have a lake, reservoir or wetland near to you, there may be great crested grebes. Canals and gravel pits are good, too. When the mist is rising from the surface of the water, two birds, a male and female grebe, might come together and dance out in the open for you. They fluff up the plumes around their heads, bow, and then begin an intricate toing and froing with each other, sometimes shaking their heads and nodding, sometimes bowing low to the water, and standing up tall and paddling their feet frenetically. It’s not dancing as we know it, but it’s still cool to watch! They’ll even take a beakful of weed and flick it at each other.

Try and spy the courtship dance of the great crested grebe for a Random Act of Wildness; wrap up warm and enjoy the serenity of the water, too.

28. Spy a hovering kestrel

If you’re on a long car journey, especially if you’re going to be stuck for hours on a motorway, then this is the Random Act of Wildness for you. Try and spy our most common falcon, a nippy little bird of prey called the kestrel. Kestrels are quite small, very fast, and easy to identify. They have pointed wings that curve backwards slightly and a fanned tail. The females are bigger than the males, and (as is the case all too often in the bird world) a bit plainer. If you’re ever lucky enough to see a kestrel up close, the males are handsome birds, with a grey-blue face, head and tail, and chestnut red back and wings.

You’re most likely to see a kestrel perched atop a telegraph pole or hovering by the side of the road. They love to hunt along grass verges, where they’re looking for small mammals. You’ll see them with their heads craned downwards, staring intently at the ground and using excellent eyesight to hone in on dinner. When they hover, they use very shallow, silent, fast wingbeats to keep them steady. You might see them plunge towards the ground to catch their dinner; if they’re successful, they’ll carry it off to a suitable location. If not, it’s back to the skies to try again. See how many you can spot.

29. Totally urban otters

UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

Town centres probably aren’t what you picture first when you think of wildlife experiences, especially in the middle of the day in March, with the streets bustling with shoppers and concrete all around. Parts of Thetford in Norfolk are very pretty; other parts, like the spot just outside the shopping centre, not so much. That didn’t matter though.

We were walking along the river on a March morning, looking for tell-tale ripples, shimmies and disturbances. It was brown with mud and not very appetising. We were in the town centre, with the river curving away from us and people everywhere, when we saw someone downstream with a camera. He was looking intently at the river. Then he turned and waved frantically, but silently, to us. He had one.

We scurried over cautiously, stopping beside the man. No one said anything, but he pointed at some ripples in the water, tantalisingly fresh. I crouched right down on the edge of the river so that I was just a couple of feet above the water’s surface, and then pop! Up shot the head of an otter. There, right in front of me, looking straight at me bold as brass. I froze and tried not to make a sound, as though he hadn’t half given me a fright. Even the photographer didn’t raise his camera. The otter looked straight at me for a long moment, before lazily turning tail, swimming back to the centre of the river and diving down to fish again. Every minute or so he’d pop back up for air, occasionally appearing with some small, tasty morsel to crunch on and swallow.

Then he ducked down one last time and this time didn’t come back up. We looked up and down the river and saw his head and whiskers appear further downstream, powerful tail swishing through the water. There was no way we could keep up, and in just a few minutes he’d disappeared completely. No doubt he knew a better spot to fish.

Do it yourself:

Otters are now popping up all over the UK in rivers, lakes and reservoirs. See if your local Wildlife Trust can recommend any good spots. You may have to go early in the morning or later in the evening and be very patient. They can be seen all year round, and you’ll be able to find clues as to their presence, like otter spraint (poo) or paw prints in the mud. You’ll need to be silent as they’re easily spooked. If you’re desperate to get a good view, then Scotland (mostly the Scottish Isles and West Coast) has reliable spots where you’re almost guaranteed to see them. You may need binoculars.

Identify five gorgeous garden birds

No matter where you live, town or countryside, there’s a few species of birds that make the most of our gardens. Our gardens provide shelter from the worst weather, food from our lawns and feeders, and water in birdbaths. Ornamental trees, bushes and plants can provide cover, too, and places to nest. The kind of birds you get might vary with the time of year or where you are, but there’s a few favourites that you’ve got a good chance of seeing. We tend to take our garden birds for granted and don’t think of them as being anything special, but look closer – they are some of the subtlest and most beautifully plumaged birds in the UK.

30. Blackbird Blackbirds are a kind of thrush. Most kids grow up being able to recognise them, as they’re abundant and widely spread over the UK. The males appear jet black all over, with a beady black eye and a bright yellow-orange bill. The females are chocolate brown and mottled, slightly lighter underneath with a few darker streaks. They hop around on the ground and will be seen wrestling with a juicy worm. They also like berries, which they’ll pluck from trees, and seeds, which they will pick off the ground. They rarely hang off bird feeders, preferring to forage from lawns or bird tables.

31. Dunnock Also known as the hedge sparrow, the dunnock is a seemingly shy and retiring little bird. They appear to skulk on the edges of bushes and in the undergrowth, looking a bit nervous as they flick their wings. Not so, in fact. They can be feisty, fiery and loud. They have a beautiful song in the spring, and when two territorial males come together then feathers can fly. They have a brown streaky back and a grey-blue face and breast, with subtle and elegant markings. They won’t come to feeders, but will enjoy seeds, fruit and mealworms on the ground.

32. Robin I’m sure you know what a robin is, even if it’s just from Christmas cards. As well as being the symbol of winter, they’re also a great garden bird to have, full of personality. They have a loud tuneful voice which they use for much of the year. You might even hear them at night as they sing under streetlamps. Brown on top, pale underneath with a bright red-orange breast, the robin has been voted the UK’s favourite bird. They like to forage on the ground or on bird tables, rather than hanging feeders, and are partial to mealworms. They’re also sociable with humans – you might find them confident enough to come close to you or even to your hand. With other robins though, they are territorial and feisty, happy to have a scrap over anything.

33. Blue tit The blue tit is a beautiful bird, probably one of the most gorgeous in the UK. They’re small, topping in at around 12cm, and sociable. They have a tiny bill, a lemon-yellow breast, blue wings with a white panel across the wing (called a ‘wingbar’), a greenish back and a white face, with a blue cap. There’s a black line around the face and going through the eye, too. They’ll happily come to feeders and bird tables, eating little nuts and seeds. Don’t mistake them for great tits, which are bigger, bulkier and have a jet-black cap all over.

34. Woodpigeon Most pigeons are seen as being a bit dull, a bit commonplace, but this does seem quite unfair. Yes, they’re ungainly, and can look a bit grey and washed out, but that’s not their fault, is it? Woodpigeons are grey all over, but with different shades, ranging from stormy grey on the back to a pinkish buff on the breast. They have piercing yellow eyes, an iridescent green patch on the back of the neck, and a distinctive white collar. This collar helps to distinguish them from feral pigeons, which come in all shapes and sizes. When they fly, their wings clatter loudly and they coo repetitively, with four or five notes that go up and down in pitch.

35. Discover the wide web

Don’t you feel lucky that you don’t have to build your own house? On a weekly basis? Out of materials that you’ve made from your own body? Well spare a moment for the much-feared spider, because this is what this diligent creature has to do over and over again if it wants to eat and sleep in relative comfort. It’s fascinating to watch them at work. What’s even more awesome is that human architects require years of training; spiders are born knowing how to spin their webs.

They use glands in their bodies to produce silk, which dries on contact with air and becomes incredibly strong. They’ll anchor on to something sturdy and begin to craft patterns with their threads. The typical shape is a kind of star shape, with several prongs radiating out from a central point (called ‘radial lines’) and threads which connect these lines together (called ‘orb lines’). Once the web is complete, they will lurk silently in a corner waiting for an unwitting insect to fly into the web and get caught on the sticky strands.

A great chance to admire a web is in the early morning, on a cool sunny day, as dew settles across the landscape. Droplets of water will collect on the web, making it sparkle and shine. See if you can find an elaborate web in your garden or local neighbourhood, and admire the hard work that’s gone into making this beautiful structure.

36. Buzz with the first bee

Many bumblebee species will go into hibernation in the winter, spending the coldest months out of harm’s way underground. When you see the first ones of the year, you could be looking at a queen that has freshly emerged from hibernation, looking to set up a new colony. If the winter has been relatively warm and dry, queen bees can emerge in late February and start to build their new homes. Look for big bees buzzing around patches of flowers or plants in your garden, looking for their next meal (and turn to page 111 if you want to give them a helping hand). The first bumblebee you see in the year can give you a little buzz, as it were. After so long of not seeing these beautiful insects, it is good to know that spring is on the way. Make a note of the date you see your first one. If you see a bumblebee that’s active in the winter, it’s probably a buff-tailed bumblebee. These industrious workers will carry on their business, making the most of scanty offerings of winter wildflowers.

37. Forget everything you thought you knew about seagulls

There’s no such thing as a seagull! Those things you see at the seaside, or pretty much anywhere now – they’re just plain old gulls. For this Random Act of Wildness, figure out what species of gull you’re seeing most regularly – and try to crack the ‘seagull’ habit! Whatever we think of gulls, they’re a formidable bunch and deserve a little respect.

Gulls have colonised huge parts of the UK now, moving far away from the sea. They’re common in cities and around landfill sites, or anywhere they can scavenge a decent meal. The most commonly occurring small gull you’re likely to see is a black-headed gull. In the summer, they have a dark brown cap and face (which gives them this misnomer), and in the winter, they have a little black spot just behind the eye. The biggest fellow you’re likely to see is a great black-backed gull, which has a slate-dark back. Herring gulls are famous for trying to steal your chips. They’re smaller than the great black-backed, but they’re still large and chunky, with the piercing yellow eye, yellow bill, pale grey back and pink legs. They’re noisy, unafraid and gregarious.

There are loads of other species you might see near the coast, but start with these three and see if you can tell them apart.

38. Plant a gutter garden

Gutter gardens are perfect for people who don’t have the luxury of a big garden, but still want some beauty. They use a simple piece of guttering to create a long, thin garden that you can plant with some pollinator-friendly flowers, herbs or even fruit, like strawberries. You’ll need to have end pieces for your guttering, to hold everything in, and somewhere strong to attach it to (remember, when filled with soil, plants and water, it’ll weigh quite a lot): fences, walls, balcony railings, etc. A DIY store should be able to help you out with appropriate fixers. Drill some holes in the bottom to allow excess water to drain out. Fill it with a few inches of soil or peat-free compost and select the plants you’d like to grow – those that don’t need a big area for roots (herbs grow really well in this environment, so you could try thyme, parsley, spearmint, chives and tarragon, for example). I’ve also seen succulents used. If your fence or wall can take the strain, you can layer gutter gardens one on top of the other, so that the water from the top one cascades down to those below. You’ll need to keep them watered regularly, as there isn’t much soil to stay damp in dry weather.

39. Flutter with the first butterfly

Spying the first butterfly of spring is wonderful and, depending on the weather, can happen as early as January (though March or April is more common). As the days get longer and the sun gets warmer, flowers begin to blossom, and more insects start to appear. My first butterfly of the year is usually the brimstone – a bright lemony yellow with wings shaped like leaves, with subtly pointed ends. Or it might be one of the white butterflies; a majestic red admiral; or a classy speckled wood. As soon as you get a warm day in early spring, see if you can spot anything fluttering by.

Butterflies survive the cold winters by hibernating or migrating. Many species will find somewhere sheltered, like a log pile or shed, and remain inactive until it warms up. They can do this as an egg, a larva (caterpillar), pupa or as a fully-grown butterfly. Climate change and warmer winters have meant that butterflies are more likely to wake up in mid-winter, tricked into thinking it’s spring. This can be disastrous, as there’s very little food around and the weather can turn cold again quickly. Some species avoid this problem entirely – the familiar painted lady will migrate south to survive the winter!

40. Feed your feathered friends

Tuppence a bag? Don’t worry, it’s not just about pigeons. Feeding the birds is one of the most simple and effective ways that you can help wildlife in your back garden. Many birds that we’re used to seeing every day are sadly in decline, and feeders are a great way to give them a helping hand. It’ll also encourage a wider variety of birds into your garden, which you’ll be able to enjoy from your window. Not got a garden? That doesn’t have to stop you. There are now feeders designed to fit on balconies or attach straight to your window, so you can make a difference no matter how big your plot.

Here are some top tips for setting up your own feeders:

Use a variety of foods and feeders

Different birds will like different kinds of nuts, seeds and berries, as well as insects. With a feeding station, having two or three feeders with different seed mixes will bring in a variety of birds. Goldfinches are partial to niger seed. Tits, woodpeckers and starlings enjoy peanuts. Mealworms are popular with robins and thrushes. You can buy seed mixes which have lots of ingredients. You can also buy fat and suet balls, which are important in the winter as they’re great sources of energy for little birds. Buy feeders appropriate for your seeds, so that the birds can get at them, and don’t leave whole peanuts out in the summer – chicks and fledglings, much like babies, might choke on them. Never serve food in mesh bags, as birds can become trapped in them.

Buy from a reputable company

Much like the food we eat ourselves, everyone likes to know that they’re getting a top-quality product. It’s no different for bird food. Some companies have a better attitude to wildlife and the environment than others. Try to make sure that your products are from the UK and locally grown, so that they’re not clocking up a huge carbon footprint, and check that those companies really care for wildlife on their farms, too.

Don’t overfeed

It’s really tempting to set up lots of feeders straight away and leave mounds of seed all over the garden, to draw in as many birds as possible immediately! Don’t fall into this trap though. Start small and build up. It’ll take the birds a while to find your feeders, and like other food, seeds and nuts will rot if they’re not eaten. Lots of uneaten food can also attract unwanted guests, like rats, so make sure you clear away any leftovers and start at a steady pace.

Minimise threats from cats

Where you position your feeders is very important. You want to minimise threats from predators, especially domestic moggies: we’re setting up a buffet for the birds, not a bird buffet! You have a few options to minimise the risks. If you have bushes with lots of spines and thorns, these will discourage cats from hunting there and provide cover for birds. Make sure that feeders are close enough for birds to dive for cover. Don’t put feeders near to bushes and shrubs that could provide the perfect ambush for a cat, though. Give the birds enough time to react and fly away. And finally, keep them high off the ground.

Keep them clean

Hygiene can be a big problem with bird feeders and it’s important that they get a regular and thorough wash. Diseases can be transmitted among birds through your feeders. Wash all feeders regularly with a gentle disinfectant, rinsing thoroughly, and allow to dry before putting more food in. If you’re feeding from a bird table, wipe up droppings regularly.

41. Build a pop-up bird hide

MAKE IT YOURSELF

A pop-up bird hide is a great way to get close to nature, although you will need a lot of patience. It’ll be made much more successful if you’ve already got some bird feeders in the garden, as this will encourage feathered friends to get nice and close.

You will need:

3 wooden poles or branches (one long, and two half the size)

Twine

An old dark sheet or blanket (brown, blue or green is best if you have it)

Clothes pegs

Scissors

1. Choose where you’d like to position your bird hide, preferably so that it’s facing some active garden bird feeders. 2. Lash the top of the poles or branches together, so that the long one is at the back of your bird hide and the shorter ones are at the front. You need it to be tall enough to sit in. 3. Cover with the blanket and secure on one side with pegs (this is your door). You’ll also need to cut a small flap in the front of your hide to see out of using scissors. Make this as small as possible and only cut three sides of the square – you can then use the fourth side to peg it out of the way. 4. It’s up to you how comfy you make your hide, but you might want to consider cushions, warm clothes, an extra blanket, snacks and a drink, as well as a notebook, pen and binoculars if you have them. 5. Make sure you go to the toilet beforehand! You don’t want to be popping in and out as this will disturb the birds. Make a note of everything you spy.